Sway Bars

[Noseminer]

I was thinking of swapping some sway bars from a Grand Am GT, I was just wondering if this would be worth it or just buy some aftermarket ones. Are the bars the same rendering the swap useless or is there any increase in handling?

[surreal_awakening]

PFYC may still have some of the Speedbuilt bars left, but they had a limited quantity and don't plan on selling more once they are gone. Cost me ~ $300 shipped for both front & rear w/ poly bushings.

[super white alero1]

Less than $300.00 shipped to me.

[Cliff8928]

I was thinking of swapping some sway bars from a Grand Am GT, I was just wondering if this would be worth it or just buy some aftermarket ones. Are the bars the same rendering the swap useless or is there any increase in handling?

If I recall correctly, the only difference *may* be in the front bar if your Alero has the FE2 suspension. If your Alero has FE3, it will be the same.

[Noseminer]

How can you tell the difference between the FE2, and the FE3. And would it make a difference to swap in the grand am bars. PFYC bars would be ideal but I can buy some GAGT sway bars for 120$, both front and rear.

[alerored04]

It is not worth it to install the GA bars no matter what. Get the pfyc ones. You will be happy.

[Redog]

^^ If you can still get them.

I got in on the group buy last year, they are still sitting in my closet. :eek:

I'm planning on getting them put on next week actually. The rear's pretty easy to put in, but the front can be a challenge, esp with the car on the ground ;)

[Cliff8928]

How can you tell the difference between the FE2, and the FE3. And would it make a difference to swap in the grand am bars. PFYC bars would be ideal but I can buy some GAGT sway bars for 120$, both front and rear.

The front bar is solid on the FE3 suspension. Oh, and PFYC actually has the bars in stock for a limited time.

[surreal_awakening]

The front bar is solid on the FE3 suspension. Oh, and PFYC actually has the bars in stock for a limited time.

Yep...mine arrived a week or so ago, and from the activity on the thread on GAGT.com it doesn't seem like too many people have ordered as of yet.

[super white alero1]

Surreal I thought you ordered before I did? I got mine 4 days after I placed the order.

[surreal_awakening]

Eh...I'm not sure exactly what day I placed the order. I had given my money to Mark @ MP Racing originally, when he was going to hold everyone's money, so I had to wait to get the money back from him before I ordered from PFYC. That and I'm only home once or twice a week, so sometimes things sit there for 4 or 5 days before I actually see they have arrived.

[guiguilandry]

I just needed to stiffen up my front suspension setup because the power and weight is killing the bushings on my car...... Do anybody know if I can put the set of front and rear speedbuilt sway bar set on my alero with the aluminium front control arm of 99 grand-am with polybushings from MP Racing???? if so what type of grand-am control arm I need ? Fe2 or Fe3
Because I already recieved the urethane bushing from MP and I just ordered the set of sway bars from PFYC.com, only missing the aluminium control arm


thank you


Also, for the people that has the speedbuilt's bars... are they great ???

[kwhauck]

the front sway bar could actually hinder your launches.....

[mfuller]

I just needed to stiffen up my front suspension setup because the power and weight is killing the bushings on my car...... Do anybody know if I can put the set of front and rear speedbuilt sway bar set on my alero with the aluminium front control arm of 99 grand-am with polybushings from MP Racing???? if so what type of grand-am control arm I need ? Fe2 or Fe3
Because I already recieved the urethane bushing from MP and I just ordered the set of sway bars from PFYC.com, only missing the aluminium control arm


thank you


Also, for the people that has the speedbuilt's bars... are they great ???

The aluminum LCA's on the 99 cars weren't specific to any RPO code.
They work great...
http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/6/web/342000-342999/342710_61_full.jpg?371217-277

Other side:
http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/6/web/342000-342999/342710_62_full.jpg?091617-277

[guiguilandry]

ok thanks for the pictures, I was askin this because the guy at the scrapyard is asking me if it is fe2 or fe3 but I will go check by myself with one of my old one..... kwhauck what do you mean by 'hinder'... sorry to not know what you mean but i'm basically a french guy that just learned with time to talk in english, still don't know everything....

Thanks

[alerored04]

Hinder means to make something more difficult. He is saying that launches will be worse with those upgraded bars. I don't know why he says that, I would like to hear the reason.

[mfuller]

He means that a thicker front swaybar may hurt your ability to get a good launch, especially with the power you are making.
Some serious FWD drag racers will disconnect the front swaybar endlinks at the track, and then re-connect everything when it's time to drive home.

[kwhauck]

exactly, thanks matt

[guiguilandry]

ok, maybe it's why I have to start in 2nd gear, the first one is too short and just burning off the tires... and I got slicks.. Mickey Thompson 26x8,5x15 I will try to disconnect it and see what it does next summer.

[Cliff8928]

ok thanks for the pictures, I was askin this because the guy at the scrapyard is asking me if it is fe2 or fe3 but I will go check by myself with one of my old one..... kwhauck what do you mean by 'hinder'... sorry to not know what you mean but i'm basically a french guy that just learned with time to talk in english, still don't know everything....

Thanks

I think only the bushings may have been different with FE2 vs FE3, but that is irrelevant with the poly ones.

He means that a thicker front swaybar may hurt your ability to get a good launch, especially with the power you are making.
Some serious FWD drag racers will disconnect the front swaybar endlinks at the track, and then re-connect everything when it's time to drive home.

It's similar to how people with off-road trucks will disconnect their bars to get more articulation. You don't need sway resistance when drag racing, you need as much contact with the ground as you can get.

[guiguilandry]

ok cool thanks to all

[Redog]

He means that a thicker front swaybar may hurt your ability to get a good launch, especially with the power you are making.
Some serious FWD drag racers will disconnect the front swaybar endlinks at the track, and then re-connect everything when it's time to drive home.

I haven't had a problem with my launches with the new bars, in fact the car hooked up better, but then again, I'm not putting down that much being in the mid to high 14's :ninja:

[kwhauck]

anybody know how thick a stock bar is, and how thick the speedbuilt bars are?

[surreal_awakening]

From an old thread....this of course assumes the newer Speedbuilt bars were made to the same specs.

*Edit: the specs I have for the newer set of Speedbuilt bars says 1 1/8" front and 7/8" rear which validates the 28.6 F and 22.2 R.

The PFYC front swaybar is a solid 28.6mm, compared to a hollow 24mm (for RPO FE2) or a solid 24mm (for FE3). The difference in weight and stiffness is huge; but it's not something you'll notice in normal driving - it just increases the harshness of the ride.
The rear PFYC bar is a solid 22.2mm, compared to a solid 14mm (which is like a coat hanger). The handling difference is immediately noticeable as the rear end is much more willing to rotate.

[kwhauck]

From an old thread....this of course assumes the newer Speedbuilt bars were made to the same specs.

*Edit: the specs I have for the newer set of Speedbuilt bars says 1 1/8" front and 7/8" rear which validates the 28.6 F and 22.2 R.

thanks, i couldn't remember and i had to double check for the extra front swaybar i have....